Jews throughout Palestine will join with Jewish communities in all democratic countries tomorrow in observing a day of mourning for the martyred Jews of Europe. All Jews here will cease work between 9 o’clock in the morning and 11 o’clock in the evening, and all enterprises operated by Jews, including urban and inter-urban transportation, will shut down.
The High Commissioner of Palestine has issued instructions to all government departments to release Jewish officials desiring to participate in the observances. Jews in all parts of Palestine will remain in their homes during the day except for the hour between 5 and 6 p. m. when they will attend synagogue services. While at the synagogues they will sit on the floor for ten minutes in a token observance of “shiva”.
Although all classes will be suspended, teachers will lecture in the schools for one hour explaining the significance of the day. All the Hebrew newspapers are devoting their entire issues tomorrow to the day of mourning.
The decision to call a work stoppage was taken by the Jewish National Council after consultation with the Histadruth and other economic bodies. In a proclamation issued today the Council declared that the observance will mark “the unyielding demand for action to save the remnants of the Jewish people and to bring them to their homeland.”
Chief Rabbis Isaue Herzog and Ben-Zion Usiel visited the High Commissioner today, and submitted the plans for the fast day, explaining the “eternal ties between Jewry and Palestine.” Since the week of mourning began last Thursday the Jewish community has reffelned from holding public entertainments, weddings or any other festivities.
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